THE ARGUMENTATION IN HEURISTIC DIAGRAMS DEVELOPED BY CHEMISTRY STUDENTS BASED ON THE RESOLUTION OF EXPERIMENTAL PROBLEMS

The ability to argue is essential for the education of students, as it is fundamental to the presentation of ideas on a given topic. Several methods have been proposed in studies that support the development of argumentation in different teaching contexts, such as the heuristic diagram. It allows the organization and recording of activities that enable critical reflection through the analysis of the language used to express ideas. In this perspective, the diagrams produced for solving problems in an experimental chemistry subject offered in an undergraduate chemistry course were analyzed. Toulmin’s argument pattern was used as a basis to identify the structure of the arguments produced, and then, the quality of the arguments was evaluated. The results of the analysis showed a principle of progress in the argumentative capacity of undergraduates with the development of activities, verified by the presence of elements in students’ texts that, when present, validate an argument. Thus, the results can contribute to other researches in the field of chemical education by favoring a teaching process that considers the development of initial argumentative ability in the formation of students.

Keywords:
argumentation; heuristic diagram; problems; experimental chemistry; Toulmin’s argument pattern